Startup Growth Story ft. Naagin Sauce - Home of Original Indian Hot Sauce

Naagin Sauce brings you the first truly Indian hot sauce, made for Indian taste buds, with a curated blend of high-quality, ethically sauced ingredients.

We were joined by Mikhel Rajani, Co-Founder, Naagin Sauce for the Startup Growth Panel focused on Rising Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) brands in India.

Mikhel Rajani is a Co-Founder at Naagin Sauce, India's first hot sauce brand, he has a decade-long experience in the F&B industry including stints in Hong Kong & Italy.

He opened his first restaurant in 2012 – Francesco’s Pizzeria – now one of Mumbai’s iconic gourmet pizza chains and has a national record for delivering the world's first pizza by drone. 

You can watch the fun Startup Growth Panel with Mikhel and other founders of awesome Rising DTC Brands in India - Suraj Vazirani (The Beauty Co.), Vinay Kothari (GO DESi) and Nilisha Ferrao (Narla).

https://youtu.be/GdGZjfZPWnc

It was a super fun chat where we discussed their founding stories, early days, what worked for them, technology stack, key learnings, building brands, and advice for early-stage founders. 

Startup Stream

The eChai Effect - In Their Words

"We found eChai to be a force multiplier throughout our startup journey. Through it, we connected with folks from DevX, Allevents, Plutomen, and more - many of whom became friends of IndiaBizForSale.com and even part of our clientele."
Bhavin S Bhagat - Co-founder of Indiabizforsale and IBGrid, TiE Ahmedabad President
Bhavin S Bhagat
Co-founder of Indiabizforsale and IBGrid, TiE Ahmedabad President
"For me, eChai is a second home. I've been associated with it since the early days, when it was already setting a different tone for how startup communities could work. As a traditional business owner entering the new-age D2C space, eChai supported me in every direction. Over the years, it became my window to the startup world — and also gave me lifelong friends who continue to show up, for business and beyond."
Pankaj Bhimani - Founder, 58miles
Pankaj Bhimani
Founder, 58miles
"eChai isn’t just a startup community … it’s a mindset . eChai has been one of the most impactful communities in my entrepreneurial journey. It’s been a turning point . In a world where building something can often feel isolating, eChai gave me a sense of belonging. I’ve found mentors, collaborators, and friends here — people who genuinely want to see you succeed. It’s a space where ideas are challenged, actions are celebrated, and founders grow not just in scale, but in clarity and confidence. From late-night ideas to early-morning pitches, this community has quietly but powerfully shaped the way I build, think, and dream. I’ll always be grateful for the way eChai creates spaces where founders don’t just grow businesses — they grow together."
Koumal Kalantry - Founder, Bignano Ventures
Koumal Kalantry
Founder, Bignano Ventures

eChai Partner Brands

eChai Ventures partners with select brands as their growth partner - working together to explore new ideas, open doors, and build momentum across the startup ecosystem.